


Lily of the Valley

by ombre_des_dieux



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-04-03 20:21:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4113688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ombre_des_dieux/pseuds/ombre_des_dieux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lilly is suffering and Leonardo does not understand why. Why would his hot-headed brother give up such a precious gift as the adoration of a beautiful woman? A gift Leo himself would give practically anything for. </p><p>But if he was offered a chance with the girl they both prize, will he take it? What if it means destroying everything else he has long held dear?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lily of the valley

**Lily of the Valley**  


Leonardo stared down at the sleeping girl, curled up in the covers of her pallet on the floor and cursed himself a thousand times for being such a fool. He shouldn't be in here, it was only going to cause trouble. But the sound of a muffled sob, as he passed her door, drew him like a beacon.

Lily slept, but the state of her bed attested to the restlessness of her slumber. Pillows covered the floor, her tangled hair spread wildly across the sheets, and her feet were trapped in a twist of blankets. Her upper body was exposed and her light t-shirt could not ward off the chill. She shivered, goose bumps appearing on her arms as he watched.

Tears she wasn't aware of flowed down her cheeks, leaving wet trails across her porcelain skin and darkening her long hair, turning it almost black, before soaking into the one pillow she'd managed to hold on to.

Leo's eyes narrowed dangerously and he clenched his fists.

_Damn Raphael._

Only an extreme act of willpower and another small whimper from Lily kept him from dashing from the room to find his brother. Leo wanted nothing more than to beat some sense into him. How could he treat her this way?

A beautiful human woman wanted him; a hot-headed, large muscled, mutant freaking turtle and yet he cast her aside and rejected that incredible gift. Couldn't he see the devastation he had wrought?

Probably not since he was ignoring her.

Leonardo sighed as he knelt next to the unconscious girl and began to untangle the sheet and blanket. As soon as he freed her extremities, she curled into the fetal position, still sobbing. He drew the quilt back over her, carefully tucking her in.

He paused by her side. He didn't want to leave her like this, crying, alone in the dark, but he didn't know how to comfort her. It wasn't like he had a wide range of experience with females, April notwithstanding.

Greatly daring, he stretched out his hand and brushed a tear from her cheek with his knuckle, fearing the calluses on his palms would catch on her tender skin. His eyes widened as he touched her. She was so soft and unexpectedly warm that he drew back.

Lily moaned in her sleep and Leo flinched. Her emotional turmoil was killing him, eating away at his insides, poisoning him against his own family. When Raph shattered her heart and told her he didn't want to know her, didn't even want to speak to her again, she had practically died.

He couldn't describe it any other way. For days, she neither spoke nor ate, leaving the trays of food Michelangelo prepared for her untouched and hiding in her designated room with nothing but the rough pallet on the floor.

Didn't Raph know how lucky he was? Could he not understand Leo would give almost anything to have this miracle happen to him? And why would he treat such an innocent girl so shabbily? Even if he didn't return her feelings, that sort of behavior was unacceptable and less than honorable. He could have found some less devastating way to let her know if he didn't care.

Leo wished Raph didn't care, but the most frustrating part of this emotional farce was Leo knew his brother did or he wouldn't have brought her home. Raph was acting the coward, afraid of admitting anyone inside the walls protecting his heart.

Leonardo's walls had already been breached, for something drew him to the gentle, petite girl from the start. At first, Leo thought his own feelings temporary. This was a crush, an instinctive reaction based on her proximity in the lair. It would pass with time.

To combat it, he kept his interactions with Lily polite and professional. She wouldn't be here forever. Eventually, the danger haunting her would pass and she would return to the surface. Even if Raph kept seeing her, she wouldn't be so intimately involved in Leo's daily life anymore.

Unfortunately, her sharp wits, gentle smile and quiet conversation had won him over completely. Now he found himself unable to imagine a day without her in it, and her self-imposed isolation was hurting him far more than it bothered Raphael.

Unable to do more, Leo set his jaw, dragged himself to his feet, and moved as stealthily as possible back to the door, letting himself out.

Behind him, the weeping girl opened her eyes.


	2. Tragedy

**Tragedy**

Anyone peering out of the apartments above the darkened shop across the way would see nothing but a dark silhouette as Leonardo crouched on the fire escape examining the street below. 

Tonight he traveled alone. Letting the team enjoy a rare evening off so he could execute a personal errand. He narrowed blue-grey eyes at the lighted window opposite, hoping to see a familiar shadow pass in front. It was 10 PM but since the light still glowed she must be up. 

Lily only returned home a few days ago but he wanted to check on her. After six months in the lair, he needed to be sure she would be ok topside. If he was honest, he wanted more than that. He missed her gentle presence, her grace, her scent. The lair felt empty though his family clamored on as usual. 

He tried to ignore it. Spent his time pushing himself in training; inventing team building exercises; meditating; and quietly reading, but he was uncomfortable. Fidgety. 

They had grown close after Raphael's complete dismissal and shared one misguided but incredibly passionate kiss. He'd tried to put it behind him, knowing she could not stay, but it constantly intruded on his thoughts. 

_ A battle raged across the planes of his face as what he desired and what he knew to be right fought for dominance of his actions. He had always been the responsible one. The one to choose right over personal gain. Ready to sacrifice his own happiness for that of others.  _

_ He should not lead her on when a long term relationship was impossible. But he was not perfect. This time, desire won. For once, he would take what he wanted.  _

_ He reached out to where Lily sat, staring up at him with wide eyes and a shocked expression. His hand gently cupped her cheek and he rubbed his thumb along her smooth skin in a tender caress. He tilted her face up to meet his as he leaned in; watching her eyes intently for any hint of distaste or rejection.  _

_ She closed the distance between them and her warm lips were softer than he ever imagined. _

Leonardo shut his eyes and forced the memory to recede. The longing it created was what prodded him into seeking her in the world above. 

She hadn't answered his courteous text asking if he could stop by, so she might not want to see him. If not, he would simply have to get used to her absence, no matter how much he missed her. 

But if she felt even a little of the craving he fought, he would pursue her with a dedication he could not show when she lived with them. There, he had to be calm, restrained, in control. Out here, he didn't have to think about what his family might see, or worry about his little brother's feelings. 

He could be himself.

Silently he descended and slipped across the deserted street, making his way to a back alley door, complete with buzzers for every apartment. He pushed the one with Lily's name, 2B, and waited. He frowned when she didn't answer. Maybe she fell asleep with the light on. 

He leapt upward and grasped a drainpipe, climbing quickly to the roof before descending the fire escape down the front of the building. He felt exposed. He couldn't stay out here long, but he had to get her attention.

So as not to scare her, he tapped a gentle pattern on the glass. One he used on her door in the lair to identify himself. He couldn't see her in the hall and though he waited then repeated the signal, she didn't appear to open the window. 

Concern grew, though it was possible she'd gone out...

He slipped over the railing of the escape and eased his way along the concrete ledge in the direction of her bedroom window. He wanted to see her, reassure himself everything was ok, even if he could only make out her sleeping silhouette. 

There wasn't enough ambient light from the street lamps to see much of anything. He tapped his gentle pattern again. He would be sorry to wake her, but his stomach soured with worry. Even if she was angry at the intrusion, it would be worth it to relieve his paranoia.

A thud echoed in the room beyond and he cocked his head, curious as he tried to decipher it. Had she attempted to reach the window without switching on the light and tripped? What he heard next turned his blood to ice in his veins. A quiet noise he knew all too well from nights spent on patrol. He never wanted to hear it from Lily.

She was screaming. The sound muffled by cloth, a hand, or worse. 

His eyes sprang open wide and a snarl twisted his lips. Every muscle in his body seized and he froze for a split second as rage overpowered him. Lily, the sweetest, most gentle girl he'd ever known was suffering in her own home. 

He snatched a pry bar from his belt sash and in seconds forced her window. Drawing a wicked looking knife, he flowed into the room, every sense alert. 

Lily lay prone on the bed, a ball gag shoved tight between her teeth. Tears streamed down her cheeks. As his face twisted in horror, she struggled to move. Metal flashed at her wrists and ankles. 

She was handcuffed to the bed. 

Leonardo's pulse exploded in his ears and for a moment, he heard nothing but his own painful heartbeats. His vision went red. It felt like his head was going to burst. He never experienced such fury before. 

Tearing his eyes away from the bound girl, he cleared the room before quickly sheathing his knife and rushing to her side. 

"Lily," he breathed in agony, brushing the hair back from her face. "I'll have you out of this in seconds."

He reached behind her head, hands fumbling for the clasp of the leather buckle holding the filthy thing inside her mouth and pried it out as gently as he could. The moment it was free, he hurled it violently across the room with a curse. 

"Leo!" 

Her soft cry pierced his heart. He paused in his work with the lockpick on the cuffs at her wrists and winced as his gaze locked on her raw red eyes. He should have come earlier to check on her. He should have been here to prevent this. 

"What happened?" he asked as softly as he could through his rage. "Who did this?"

She shook her head, trembling. 

"M-my fault," she stuttered out. "I forgot he had a key. My ex-boyfriend had the building watched. They told him I came back. He was angry I disappeared for so long. So angry—" 

Leonardo grimaced. The bastard was a Purple Dragon. They knew he had resources, but the man had gone underground months ago and they thought him cowed. It hadn’t seemed worth the trouble to seek him out. Leo cursed himself for such thoughtlessness.

As he freed her wrists, Lily sat up and threw grateful arms around him, bursting into tears. He held her close, limbs locked about her slim form, glaring at the closed bedroom door over her shoulder.

"Is he still here?" 

The dangerous rumbled which preceded that question was a sound he had never made before. It more than threatened retribution, it promised it. Lily shivered, but she shook her head. 

"He's gone. Out with his cronies," she said through her tears. 

"Then let's get you out of here," he growled, releasing her and bending to attack the cuffs binding her ankles. 


	3. Slipping Away

**Slipping Away**

He couldn't take her home. Not yet. He wasn't calm enough to resume the role fate had thrust upon him. And he knew, without the slightest doubt, if he returned to the lair with a weeping Lily and told the story of her attack, he would have to deal with a furious Raphael. 

Leonardo was tired of trying to make sense of his brother's on again off again feelings. He had enough trouble right now dealing with his own. He took a deep breath, then another, forcing his remarkably powerful anger to one side.

Guardedly, he faced the door and considered his options as Lily hastily changed her soft bed shorts and t-shirt for outerwear. He couldn't wait to get her out of here. Away from the scene of such pain. 

"Where will we go?" Lily asked, voice wavering. 

He turned. She stood in the center of the room, trembling. Arms crossed over her chest, eyes downcast. It took every ounce of willpower at his command to stay where he was and answer her question. 

"Somewhere safe." 

He wanted to go to her. Hold her close, dry her tears, and swear nothing would ever touch her again. To scoop her up and carry her out the window and away. Instead, his fists clenched so tight at his sides his knuckles grew white. 

_ I don't have the right. And she doesn't need another unwanted assault tonight. _

She rubbed her hands along her upper arms and the raw marks on her wrists drew his gaze. He hissed slightly to himself. She needed first aid. He could bandage her, but what if there were other injuries? Ones he could not see. 

He was burning with questions he didn't know how to ask. And he wasn't entirely sure he could handle the answers if she gave them.

_ How long was she trapped? Did the brute hurt her? Or worse yet, force himself on her?  _

Considering the nature of her bondage and the bastard's presumptive claim as her ex, it wasn't a huge stretch to imagine he had. 

Each unspoken question made his pulse pound harder and his jaw clench tighter. He almost wished the guy would return. He was dying for a reckoning. He wanted to tear this place apart. Destroy the scene. Rend the man who did this limb from limb. 

But he could not. This was Lily's home, despite the evil actions taken here. These were her things and he could no more damage them than he could raise a hand to her. 

A quick glance around revealed a pale green duffle bag at the edge of her closet. He picked it up and crossed the room to press it into her hands. 

"Gather some essentials. It might be a few days before we can catch the guy," he said. 

He turned away again, rapidly crossing to the bedroom door to check the hallway outside. He cracked it and peered out cautiously. The light still burned. The route to the front door was clear. 

That was good, because he wasn't going to haul her over the rooftops unless it was absolutely necessary. Actually, he planned to call her a cab and send her out the alley door while he watched her departure from above. Anyone still observing her apartment would attempt to follow. 

_ 'Attempt' is all they're going to do. _

"I guess it's back to the lair?" she asked. 

The question carried an alarming amount of dread. The dull resignation in her voice made him wince. She hadn't exactly been comfortable there. Lily was a child of light and air. The underground atmosphere had depressed her. Not to mention the tragic episode with his brother. He wished her experience in their home had been different.

"I have someplace else in mind," he said. 

"April and Casey's apartment?"

"Only as a last resort."

"I really don't want to impose on anyone." 

Her voice dropped low and she sounded completely defeated.

Leonardo spun to face her. 

Lily sat despondently on the floor and clutched the empty bag to her raised knees. Her green eyes flashed up at him once, like emerald jewels, before she looked quickly away. 

Fear shone in their depths. 

For a second, he couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Couldn't act. His skin burned from the top of his head to the soles of his feet as a full body flush overcame him. He'd trained all his life to face difficult situations without freezing, but one timid glance from the woman he adored punched a hole in his chest and crushed his heart as ruthlessly as any fist. 

Lily was afraid. Afraid of him. 

The sound of a car door slamming shut echoed up through the still open bedroom window; freeing him from his uncertain hesitation. He glided over to check the street for enemies, silent as a shadow. With motion, logical thought returned. There was a reasonable explanation for her anxiety. 

She had never seen him like this. As far as he could remember, he had never experienced this.

He was enraged. So furious his arms were shaking. His face had twisted from its usual smooth countenance to something harsh and cold as he considered all sorts of torments for those responsible for her current situation.

_ Fear is a natural response. She's been attacked in her own home by someone she once cared about. Then I came roaring in. No one would feel safe after that. She needs reassurance.  _

Casually, he slid the sash closed, making sure no one outside noticed. He knelt to face her, keeping a careful distance between them, and smoothed the anger from his features as best he could.

"Lily, everything is going to be ok,"—he barely breathed the words, they were so soft—"I'm sending you somewhere private and safe. On my honor, I will see to it no one disturbs you until you are ready to reclaim your home."

He extended a hand to the shivering girl. 

"Trust me?" he asked.

She considered his outstretched palm for a long while. 

The thought she might not believe him was bitter. He'd devoted his life to such pursuits, safeguarding the weak and protecting those who could not defend themselves. Yet, now that it actually mattered—now that there was someone he wanted to shelter even more than his own family—she feared to rely on him. 

He understood. Raphael had pulled her out of a difficult situation then left her high and dry. 

_ "Sure, blame me."  _ Raph's voice whispered from his memory. The day Lily decided to move out of the lair and return topside, his brother had cornered him in the hall and given him a piece of his mind.  _ "Blame me all ya want. But remember, yer the one who kissed her and never looked back."  _

Leo remembered. Every second of that event was seared into his mind. 

_ The way Lily leaned into him. How her lashes fluttered shut against her cheeks, covering luminous green eyes. Silk sliding against his palm as he ran his fingers into her hair and drew her closer. The warmth of her lips when she parted them against his. The sweet scent of her breath. The taste of her. Her flush as they broke apart. The small sigh as she whispered his name. _

_ One long, lingering kiss— and it was all over.  _

_ He wrested back control. Wiped himself from her mouth with the softest caress of his thumb over her lips and bowed to her deeply in remorse. He had walked away. They had not spoken again.  _

_ A few days later, Lily requested to return to the world above. Said she felt safe enough to go home.  _

_ “If ya cared enough ta looked back, you’da seen the real reason she’s goin’. Ya hurt her bro. Cut her deep.” Raph had snarled, rubbing his face in it. “Made her a promise and took it back in the same breath.”  _

Leonardo accepted everything his brother doled out with a stony expression. He had been caught between a rock and a hard place. And that rock’s name was Raphael. Because the reason for his abrupt about-face had been the expression on his brother’s. 

Raph had walked in on their intimate moment. 

Leo closed his eyes as the pain of the memory washed over him anew. 

_ Leo saw him over Lily’s shoulder the second he opened his own star struck eyes. Watched his brother’s features contort as Lily whispered his name.  _

_ Raph looked like the devil himself had sprung from the earth and ripped his heart out.  _

Emotion that profound would do more than disrupt the team. It would destroy the family utterly, tear them all apart. He couldn’t do that, not to any of them. The only option left was to withdraw. No matter how much it hurt. 

_ And, oh, how it hurt. Both of us. _

If Lily wasn't comfortable being alone with him, couldn’t trust him, he would rearrange things. Ask Mikey, Donnie, or even April to be her chaperone. 

_ Or I could escort her to a police station. Watch over her from afar. She may feel more at ease in human hands. Donnie can tell me which cops aren't on the take... _

As distasteful as the thought was, he would do whatever it took to secure her safety—and her peace of mind—even trust the humans. But a soft touch on his palm made the point moot. His eyes shot open as her tiny hand found its way into his. 

He closed his fingers ever so gently around hers and helped her to her feet. 

  
  



	4. Just far enough

**Just far enough**

Leonardo leaned over the unconscious man in front of him and sliced through the tail end of his untucked shirt with a lethally sharp katana. In a single deft move, he snatched the parted cloth from the air and wiped his blade clean before sliding it home in the sheath on his shell with a sense of finality

_He was the last one._

His lip curled as he bent again to check the man's vitals. The thug was still bleeding from a few shallow cuts, but his heart was still beating.

_He'll live. Lucky for him, he doesn't smell like the apartment or, worse yet, Lily herself._

If he had, Leo might well have been tempted to let him bleed out in the alleyway or even helped him along. Instead, he roughly bound the culprit in knotted rope and left him leaning against the wall.

A quick anonymous text to the local precinct and this guy wouldn't be his problem anymore. There was enough contraband on the man to keep him in jail for a while, just like the five others Leo took out in the last fifteen minutes.

For once in his life, Leonardo felt a strong sense of kinship with Raphael. The rush of removing these idiots settled him. Knowing they were out of action, not able to spy on Lily any longer, made him feel slightly better about her situation, but he needed to get his shell in gear if he was going to beat her cab to its destination.

He'd given her strict instructions for the driver. Circle this block three times before heading to the address on the crumpled slip of paper. Their slow departure gave him an opportunity to scope out the watchdogs, but now that they were handled, he didn't want her standing alone on a curb somewhere, waiting for him.

A couple of quick jumps off the alley wall got him to the top of the two-story building and he launched himself into a ground eating run. He could move faster up here than a car on the street. No need to stop for traffic or lights. Less than five minutes later, he peered over the side of a somewhat larger edifice, using the tall, obelisk sign on the front of the marquee to obscure his form.

This old theater had been closed for years; caught up in an estate settlement between two heirs who didn't give a damn about the place. Neither wanted the other to inherit, so the building would most likely remain empty for many more. That was just fine by Leo for it supported the Loft—his private escape.

Lily wasn't here. He dropped to the corroded sign on the front to be closer to the street and settled in to wait. Over the next few minutes, several cabs sailed past, barely slowing for the giant potholes which punctured the road. He held his breath, hoping each was her, but they didn't stop. When she didn't arrive in another ten he began to fret.

_Did she change her mind? Go to the police or a hospital?_

He wouldn't blame her.

_She's scared. Injured._

He hadn't had time to do more than bind up the gashes on her wrist with clean gauze. He gritted his teeth and pulled out his phone. No texts. He knew she had hers, double checking before she left. His fingers hovered over the keys, uncertain if he should send one himself.

_Will she feel comforted by my checking up, or trapped?_

As he debated, another cab drew near the curb and slowed. A slim figure emerged. Long brunette hair stirred in the wind and large eyes anxiously scanned the front of the building.

_Lily._

He breathed a sigh of relief but it was short lived. Even from his hiding place fifteen feet up he could see her shaking. The set of her shoulders and the sharp twist of her head said she was on the edge of fight or flight. Any sudden moves and she would be gone.

"Ya sure this is where ya wanna get out, darlin?" the cabbie called, loud enough to reach the turtle's sensitive ears.

Leonardo tensed and stifled a protective growl.

_Has the guy had been hitting on her the whole way?_

But the driver was merely concerned.

"This ain't the best neighborhood and that theater's been dark for years. I got a daughter your age and ya look rattled. You want me to maybe stay 'til yer friend shows up? I won't keep ya on the meter."

Lily forced a smile and shook her head, handing over a few extra bills for his tip.

"Suit yourself," he said. "But keep your eyes open, ok? I don't want to read about ya in the papers..."

_You won't._

If anyone else bothered her tonight, they would receive the full brunt of Leo's wrath. And they probably wouldn't wake up.

Eventually, the cab departed. Before the car rounded the corner, Leonardo was at Lily's back. He called her name quietly, so as not to frighten her and picked up her duffle off the curb. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he offered his hand.

He relaxed a bit as she grasped it with only the slightest hesitation.

_Somehow, I will regain your trust._

Silently, he led her into the small not-quite alley at the side of the building. The opening was so narrow he had to turn almost completely sideways to fit, but he was used to it.

Lily gazed at him askance.

The passage was dim and the old stage door created a dead end which seemed well and truly sealed. Massive two-by-sixes were fastened across the front to both jams. An exorbitant number of nails held it shut and large black and white signs declared 'Beware of Dog', 'Cameras,' and 'Trespassers will be prosecuted.'

"It's alright. This is all for show," Leo said, pressing a brick. A false covering popped open to reveal a remarkably complex number pad.

Quickly he keyed in a ten digit code. The whole panel, door and all, shifted out a few inches; just far enough to not scrape the sidewall and leave tell-tale marks. It slid straight up without a sound revealing a dark opening.

"Donnie's work?" Lily asked in a hushed voice.

"He designed it," he answered, still typing. "I helped with the install. Without a code, no one can enter."

Despite the reassurance, she poked her head in somewhat meekly, as if expecting to be attacked. She jumped as a pale strip of light flickered on, illuminating only the treads of a set of metal stairs. Leo winced at her reaction, then gently gripped her hand again and started up as the door slid shut.

Three flights later they stepped out into an odd enclosure on the roof. From the outside, it resembled nothing more than a large pigeon coup which had seen better days. It sported a fairly solid ceiling and was covered in mesh on three sides, but the inside was reinforced with steel beams and cameras were hidden in the rafters.

Leo turned her to face a battered wood door in the wall behind them and released her hand to open it. "Welcome to the Loft."

Lily entered and gasped. "What is this place?"

Leonardo stepped in behind her and gazed around, a soft satisfied smile on his face.

"A retreat for when the lair gets too small."

A single long space had been annexed from the old attic of the theater. Walled in whitewashed wood panels with a white oak floor, the room was a soothing monotone. And, since it topped the tallest building on the block, he felt comfortable with the ceiling being mostly glass.

When the sun shone, the skylights were bright and cheerful. During storms, the rain tapped out musical patterns. Now, the windows were frosted by moonlight and the glow of a few blue neon signs from the businesses nearby.

He turned on a lamp to reveal the interior. A low Japanese futon to the right of the door was a comfortable bed, tightly made and covered with thick quilts and several pillows. To the left sat a drafting table for his calligraphy. Next was a short bookcase with carefully selected titles, chosen not for strategy but relaxation. A wooden rack for storing his katana completed the furniture.

The middle was open, covered only by a circular rag rug April made for him.

The rear of the room was divided in two with a sliding shoji screen which could be drawn to either side to conceal or expose the spaces at will. One-half hosted a small kitchenette. Two tiny cabinets contained a variety of healthy snacks and dishware.

The other was fashioned into a three-quarter bath. He'd modified a porcelain bowl with a blue Japanese geisha design into a sink and the large shower stall was floored with teak. There were fluffy cream towels resting on a three-legged stool and dried lavender on a shelf added a calming aroma.

The Loft was open, airy, and as opposite to their underground home as was possible. Lily turned slowly in the center of the room, eyes wide and staring.

"The others don't come here, do they?"

It wasn't really a question, more of an observation, but he wanted her to feel secure, so he answered anyway. "No." He hesitated before adding, "Don has a special access code in case of emergency, but he has his own place elsewhere."

When they were younger, if they wanted to get away, they had to sneak out; run the tunnels, singly or in pairs, to gain the needed perspective. But, over time, not knowing if they were safe became too much for their master. To save him pain, they each created their own bolt holes, hidden from the world but close to home. Just far enough to escape.

"I can tell," she whispered. "It's a reflection of you."

He flushed, but Lily didn't notice. She was staring at the floor.

"Do you like it?" he asked. "I put in a code for you to come and go. You'll be safe here and you won't have to deal with the chaos of the lair."

She blinked up at him, green eyes clouded with confusion. "You want me to stay? Here?"

"I can bring some more of your things over if you want. Whatever you need to make this more comfortable."

"I- It's perfect the way it is. I don't want to change anything or invade… your world."

_Impossible. You are already the center of it._

Her shoulders hunched and he winced again. Actually witnessing how much his rejection had impacted her nearly broke him. If he hadn't withdrawn from her, she wouldn't have left. Wouldn't have been attacked. Wouldn't be suffering.

_I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you._

He stayed where he was, keeping the careful arm's length between them. But he couldn't stop his voice from changing. Deepening. Gentling. It contained all the yearning, all the pain, he couldn't bring himself to express any other way.

"Lily," he murmured, "you are most welcome here."

Her legs collapsed and she sat on the rug, curling herself around her knees and burying her face in them. Soft sobs emerged from her shaking form.

Leonardo knelt next to her, an instinctive reaction he could not control. Like that night in her room at the lair, her cries drew him to her side. His arms encircled her without conscious direction and he gathered her into his lap. She clung to him as if life itself depended on his presence and tears rained down on his plastron.

His own eyes burned as he pressed his face into her hair and inhaled deeply.

He froze, all his muscles locking down as his previous rage returned. A volcano rose in the center of his chest, a force of nature tearing through him. His stomach heaved and soured. It took all he had to hold himself in check. To not rise roaring to his feet to demand retribution, here and now.

One of his unaskable questions was answered.

Lily's personal scent—the addictive, sweet, floral aroma he would die to protect—was marred by a combination of blood and the unmistakable sexual musk of an expended human male.


End file.
